The Pei residence had returned to its usual rhythm by the time afternoon arrived.
Servants arranged tea trays and documents with practiced precision while moving calmly through the wide hallways. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long bands of light across the polished wooden floors.
To an outsider, nothing would seem different.
But inside the study, the atmosphere remained heavy.
Pei Fang sat behind his desk reviewing the stack of documents that had arrived from the law office after the meeting. Across from him, Pei Jing sat calmly, reading through another set of papers.
They remained silent for several minutes.
Finally, Pei Jing placed one of the documents aside.
"Pei Shuren will not stop. Not here, at least," she said calmly.
Pei Fang continued looking through the documents.
"No."
"He waited years just to attempt this."
"Yes."
Another moment passed in silence.
Pei Jing finally closed the folder she had been holding.
"He expected us to die without heirs."
Pei Fang lifted his gaze toward her.
"And now he knows we did not. At least not anytime soon."
Meanwhile, the twins had returned to their study room, located just beside Pei Fang's study.
The only sound in the quiet room was the soft rustling of turning pages.
Pei Ye sat at the desk, reading carefully from a book on classical governance.
His posture was straight and composed, as usual.
Pei Yan stood near the tall window, staring at the estate outside.
The silence between them was far from peaceful.
It was restrained.
Controlled.
Almost chained.
After several minutes, Pei Yan finally spoke.
"He called us children with no origin."
Pei Ye replied without looking up.
"Yes."
Pei Yan turned toward him.
"And you are still calm about it?"
Pei Ye slowly closed the book.
"What exactly am I supposed to do?"
Pei Yan frowned instantly.
"Something. Anything."
Pei Ye stood up from his chair.
"He wanted a reaction from us."
Pei Yan's frustration surfaced quickly.
"And yet we just sit quietly while someone questions where we belong?"
Pei Ye's voice remained steady.
"Reacting would have helped him."
Pei Yan scoffed.
"You always say that."
His voice grew sharper as the anger rose.
"He looked at us like we robbed someone. Like we were thieves."
Pei Ye's expression hardened slightly.
"Yes. He did."
"And you are fine with that?"
Pei Ye replied,
"No. I'm not."
The answer sounded colder than Pei Yan expected.
Silence returned.
Then Pei Yan walked toward the desk and struck it with his palm.
"But he had no right."
The sharp sound echoed through the room.
Pei Ye faced him.
"Control yourself. Now."
Pei Yan shook his head.
"Do you really feel nothing?"
Pei Ye's voice dropped from its usual tone.
"Of course I do."
Pei Yan stepped closer.
"Then why do you always pretend that you don't?"
Something inside Pei Ye shifted.
For the first time since the meeting, the memory returned clearly.
Pei Shuren's voice.
Children from uncertain origins.
Heritage cannot be adopted.
They cannot be heirs.
Pei Ye's hands slowly tightened.
Then Pei Yan continued,
"If we were actually part of this family, who would dare question us?"
That sentence broke the restraint.
Pei Ye suddenly slammed the book onto the desk.
The sound was much louder than Pei Yan's earlier strike.
Both twins froze instantly.
The door opened almost immediately.
Pei Fang stood at the entrance.
Behind him stood Pei Jing.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Pei Yan slowed his breathing.
Pei Ye lowered his gaze.
Pei Fang stepped into the room.
His eyes moved from the desk… to Pei Yan… and finally stopped on Pei Ye.
His voice was dangerously calm.
"Explain."
Pei Yan hesitated.
But he spoke first.
"I lost control."
Then Pei Ye said,
"We lost control."
Pei Fang's gaze remained fixed on Pei Ye.
"Yes."
Pei Ye continued calmly.
"We allowed anger to control us."
Pei Fang's expression did not change.
"And why?"
Pei Ye answered honestly.
"Because what he said was humiliating."
Pei Fang nodded once.
"Yes."
Then he asked another question.
"And what exactly did you learn from that insult?"
Pei Ye did not answer immediately.
Pei Fang turned slightly toward Pei Yan.
"What about you?"
Pei Yan looked down before replying.
"That he hates us."
Pei Fang shook his head.
"No."
Both twins lifted their heads slightly.
"He wants control."
Pei Fang's voice remained calm.
"And your anger would have given him exactly that."
Silence filled the room.
Pei Fang's gaze returned to Pei Ye.
"I expected this from him."
He nodded slightly toward Pei Yan.
"But not from you."
No raised voice could have carried the same weight as those words.
Pei Ye felt the pressure immediately.
Pei Fang continued.
"You pride yourself on discipline."
Pei Ye lowered his head.
"Yes, Father."
"And yet you struck the desk."
Pei Ye replied quietly.
"Yes."
Pei Fang's voice remained steady.
"That is disappointing."
The word landed heavily.
Pei Fang spoke again.
"Kneel."
For a moment, neither twin moved.
Then both stepped forward.
They knelt on the polished wooden floor without hesitation.
Pei Fang continued speaking.
"Pei Yan sometimes reacts with emotion. That is expected."
His gaze shifted to Pei Ye.
"But the consequences are greater when the calm one loses control."
The twins remained still.
Pei Fang walked slowly across the spacious room.
"If someone provokes you, that is their strategy."
He stopped in front of them.
"But if you allow them to succeed…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"You become the weapon in their plan."
Neither twin moved.
Pei Jing stood quietly near the door, observing everything.
She finally spoke.
"You will kneel here until further instructions."
Pei Yan blinked.
But neither twin protested.
Pei Fang continued.
"Until you remember that your emotions belong to you."
Pei Jing added calmly,
"And to no one else."
Then both parents left the room.
The hours passed slowly.
Afternoon faded into evening.
Sunlight turned into dusk.
The polished floor grew colder.
But the twins remained kneeling.
At first, Pei Yan tried to ignore the pressure building in his legs.
Pei Ye remained completely still beside him.
Finally, Pei Yan whispered,
"You shouldn't have done that."
Pei Ye replied quietly,
"You started it."
Pei Yan sighed.
"Father expected this from me."
Pei Ye said nothing.
Pei Yan glanced at him.
"But he never expected it from you."
Pei Ye replied softly,
"I know."
Silence returned.
After a while, Pei Yan asked,
"Do you regret it?"
Pei Ye thought for a moment.
"Yes."
Another pause followed.
"But not for the reason you think."
Pei Yan frowned slightly.
"I regret giving him power over my reaction."
Pei Yan nodded slowly.
Then he asked,
"Do you think this is fair?"
Pei Ye replied,
"Yes."
"How?"
Pei Ye looked toward the closed door.
"He did not punish us for the meeting."
Pei Yan frowned.
"Then for what?"
Pei Ye answered quietly.
"For losing control inside this house."
Pei Yan slowly understood.
Outside enemies were expected.
Inside this house, discipline was not optional.
Another hour passed before the study door opened.
Pei Fang stepped inside.
He observed them silently for a moment.
Then he asked,
"Have you understood?"
Pei Ye answered first.
"Yes, Father."
Pei Yan followed.
"Yes, Father."
Pei Fang nodded.
"You may stand."
Both twins stood slowly.
Their legs were stiff and numb, but neither showed discomfort.
Pei Fang spoke again.
"The world will insult you many times. And it will be far worse than today."
The twins listened carefully.
"If words can control you…"
His gaze sharpened.
"Then you are not ready to inherit anything."
Then he added quietly,
"If there is a next time, the punishment will not be this simple."
A chill ran down their spines.
They bowed.
"Father."
Then toward Pei Jing.
"Mother."
Pei Jing said calmly,
"Dinner is served. Eat, then go to your rooms and rest."
Night soon settled over the Pei residence.
The house grew silent as servants finished their duties and the lights dimmed across the halls.
Inside their room, the twins lay on their beds.
Their knees still ached.
For a while neither spoke.
Finally Pei Yan whispered,
"You really surprised Father and Mother today."
Pei Ye stared at the ceiling.
"Yes."
Pei Yan turned his head.
"I've never seen Father this disappointed in you."
Pei Ye remained quiet for a moment.
Then he said softly,
"Neither have I."
After a pause, he added,
"I've never been this disappointed in myself."
The room fell silent again.
After some time, the door opened quietly.
Both twins closed their eyes immediately.
Soft footsteps entered.
Pei Jing's voice spoke softly.
"They are already asleep."
Pei Fang replied,
"Yes."
Pei Jing sat beside Pei Yan's bed.
A small jar opened quietly.
Cool ointment touched his knees.
Pei Yan nearly reacted but forced himself to remain still.
Pei Fang moved to Pei Ye's side and began applying ointment to his knees.
His voice was low.
"You were harder on them today."
Pei Jing replied,
"You were harder on Pei Ye."
Pei Fang remained silent for a moment.
Then he said,
"He needed it."
The ointment cooled the aching joints.
Pei Jing spoke again.
"They handled the meeting well."
"Yes."
"They did not react."
Pei Fang nodded.
"Until later."
Pei Jing closed the jar.
"They are still children."
Pei Fang stood.
"Yes."
A quiet pause followed.
Then Pei Jing added softly,
"They are still learning."
Pei Fang looked once more at the sleeping twins.
"Yes."
They left the room quietly.
The door closed.
Several seconds passed.
Then Pei Yan opened his eyes.
Pei Ye did the same.
Pei Yan whispered,
"They knew we were awake."
Pei Ye nodded slightly.
"Yes. They did."
The room returned to silence.
Both of them understood something they had not noticed before.
Their parents were strict.
Their punishments were cold.
Their expectations were unforgiving.
But the care behind those lessons had always been there.
Quiet.
Unspoken.
And constant.